Miss SA

I have had a few people tell me that I am lucky to be working on Miss South Africa production.

I have worked hard over the years to make a name for myself, long hours, sleepless nights and do not even talk about the stress related to being a freelancer. I have practiced continuously, did online course/webinar, free shoots……… you name it and I have probably done it.

Like many others the lockdown affected me like crazy with no income and creating debt to pay the bills, I send out my CV to Veaudry hairsalon as I have 16 years experience as a hairstylist. Thank goodness there was a position available for me in the salon. When we were ask to work with Miss SA it was a no brainer for me as I do love the glitz and glam from pageantry.

Working with these wonderful woman made my heart happy but one thing that social media does not show are the meetings held to discuss everything, the early mornings to create a look for the perfect shot and the long hours to make sure everything is just right.

So to answer your question, yes I am fortunate to work with these amazing companies but it did not happen over night. Work hard and be kind because you never know who is watching.

Love and Light

Rene

Creativity

I am sure that after months of being at home or not being able to work to full capacity, we are all eager to get back and make a success for the rest of the year.

As a creative, it has been quite a ride. Not only dealing with limited income but also trying to deal with a brain that is full of creative ideas. I read somewhere that the art we put out into the world is the way we portray what is in our head, one brush stroke at a time. I could not agree more with that statement. Sometimes I just want to create something simple and other times I just want to add everything including the kitchen sink.

It sometimes is hard to find that balance of showcasing beautiful elegant work but also the uber creative side. Social media has become such an amazing tool to showcase the variety of work one can offer but at the same time when you do not get that instant gratification of likes you start wondering if your on the right track.

This year has been a year where I discover my personal journey of creativity. I have done many shoots that pushed me to the limits and some that I did just because I can. I decided that I will post what I want and when I want. Don’t get me wrong, I still post what people want to see but I make sure that it showcase a variety of my craft and sometimes even add myself into the mix. I have realized that you should make yourself happy before you make others happy and if you do not like the image where I did body paint or a no makeup look, well that is your prerogative.

I think it is time to showcase the creativity within, no matter what others think. Doing a creative shoot means that there is planning that goes into it. What colours will work, what model will work best for the concept, do we need a stylist to bring everything together. All these things are to be considered when thinking out of the box. I think the biggest thing for me is colour. As a qualified hairstylist I don’t just see red as a colour….. I see warm red, cool red, the secondary reflection in the red etc. Not only do I look at the undertones of colours but I also look to see where the colours are on the colour wheel to know what kind of impact I want the colours to have when seeing it as a complete image.

So doing a creative shoot is challenging and more time consuming than just doing a smokey eye or a red lip.

Bring on the CREATIVITY

Cleaning your Brushes

Regardless if your a makeup artist, a makeup lover or just someone that has to put on makeup…. we all use tools to apply our makeup.

No I am not talking about using your fingers, I am referring to makeup brushes and sponges. During this time of Covid 19 it is important to keep your equipment as clean as you can.

I personally clean my brushes after each shoot and if there are more then one model then I do have multiple brushes I can use, if I do need to use the same brush then I will make sure to use a brush cleaner to clean and disinfect the brush. As mentioned it is very rare for me to use the same brush due to the amount of brushes I have. I prefer to use the Graftobian makeup brush cleaner as it cleans the brushes nicely and the brush dries quickly so I can use my brush almost immediately. It is also environmentally friendly without any harsh chemicals like some other brands.

Now when cleaning your brushes make sure to use medium temp water, I feel that if the water is to warm then it can ruin the brushes and if it is to cold then it wont clean as well…. this is my own opinion. Step 1: Wet your brush with water, dispense a bit of soap (something gentle with no fragrance and harsh chemicals) or specialized brush cleaner product. Step 2: In the palm of your hand rotate the brush in circular motion, once you have lathered enough product onto the brush you can squeeze out the excess soap and product under clean water. Make sure that the water runs clear, if not, you need to repeat this step to remove all products. Step 3: once your brush is clean, squeeze out the excess water and make sure to keep the bristles together. This way your brush will dry in that shape, I personally try and retain the shape of the brush the way I bought it. Step 4: Place your clean brushes on a towel and let it dry. Keep your brushes out of direct sunlight as it is damaging to the wooden handle and it would start cracking eventually. Step 5: Before packing your dry brushes away, give it a spray with 70% alcohol sanitize spray lightly just to make sure all germs/bacteria is killed. This is however a personal preference just because I am a bit OCD.

I would recommend that you clean your sponges the same way, I have noticed over the years that a sponge needs a repeat on step 2 as the products used penetrate deeper into the sponge.

Sometimes when I clean my foundation brushes, lipstick brushes or eyeliner brushes I will first use a bit of the Pro Brush Cleaner from Graftobian as it helps to remove the stubborn products from the brush fibers. This will also help prevent repeating step 2 several times.

We invest so much money on good brushes that you do not want them to be ruined. If you look after your brushes properly then they will last you for years. I prefer to spend good money on good brushes so that I do not have to replace them, I mean I still use brushes from when I studied and have grown my collection since then. I am not going to lie I love having a good brush collection.

Love and Light

Products

Products is a very important factor when it comes to creating a makeup looks.

I get ladies telling me they wish they could do makeup like me. Firstly I don’t do my makeup in the car on my way to work and secondly I use the right products to help me create a specific look. Yes, the more familiar you get with products the more you can change it up eg: us a lipstick as a blush or eyeshadow to create a shine on the lips…

So let me explain why I say mixing products up.

Most of you know I use a brand called Graftobian Professional Makeup. This brand allows me to mix and match the products on the face as mentioned previously. Not only do I get to do that but the variety of products that I can use is to die for. Lets have a quick look at my top reasons

1. The brand is cruelty free/vegan which is a big deal for me when it comes to using makeup. No animal should get harmed in order for us to look pretty!

2. The foundation is Ultra High Definiton, this means that you get a flawless look with minimum product usage.

3. The variety of colors they have available is insane, with so many different color options in warm, cool and neutral, you will be able to match your skin perfectly every time.

4. The “creative range” is amazing. You will be able to create any creature you want with their special effects and pro paint range (to many to mention)

So now that you know why I use this brand lets carry on wit products.

In order for you to create the right looks you need not only the right techniques, and tools but also the products you use. You can not use a BB cream and expect a full coverage look. Now there are tips and tricks for you to achieve certain looks by using certain techniques but you are going to have to book a session for me to explain that to you personally. eg: using a BB cream but want a full cover look… simply add a compact powder over.

Using the wrong product means you wont be able to achieve a look, so do not get upset that you cant create a look, first look to see if you are using the right products.

Keep in mind that not everyone can afford a professional brands but i would recommend that your foundation and powder is of good quality as this is your first step to creating the perfect look.

Remember that if you are using the right products and still not getting the looks right, practice makes perfect.

So as everything else, if you use the right product then it will be easier for you to achieve the looks that you want to create.

Love and light

Rene

Makeup Days

Ok so here is the thing, I love makeup days (also kown as test shoots). It is those days where I can create looks that the client does not normally ask for, or even for me to learn some new techniques or try out some new products. Not only is it to practice and create different makeups but it is also to have some new content to post.

There are 3 different kind of makeup days for me. The first one is where it will be the model, the photographer and myself . This also gives the photographer some time to try out new lighting set up, or new editing skills or whatever they feel they will benefit them from the day. These images are shared between all the parties involved and tagged on social media as no one got paid for this day. I also feel it is important to do these test shoots with the photographer as it will help you understand how makeup reacts under different types of lighting.

Then we have the makeup days that I just do by myself . I will create some content with my video camera and do a look on myself whilst explaining what I am doing step by step. Almost like a tutorial but not as an influencer … more as a professional artist sharing my knowledge. I am not paid by any brand to do these so I use products that I feel is best suited for that look, or how to manipulate a product to achieve desired results. Of course I have some favorite brands that I use and I will verbalize that those brands work for me with that specific application.

Then the last makeup day is when I take my light ring, do a makeup applications on whoever is interested. Regardless of it being a man or a woman. Its just do fun looks and I take the photo with my ring light. The image that is attached to this blog are one of those kind of makeup days. It really is just a day of making magic, having the images immediately and enjoying the day. I also want to show that we do not have to edit image as we see on social media and in magazines, with the right makeup, the right tools and the right application you can also be ready for that selfie.

Makeup and hair by Ultimate Glamour hair and makeup

Model: Kelly Roux

Creative Looks

So over the past year I have been creating fun artistic looks on myself and once or twice on some friends that I was able to convince to sit in my chair. So I create these looks on myself because my clients are not going to pay for me to do whatever I want, well not now anyway. It is also a form of expression for me. Every person on earth has their own idea of what art is, and to me art is something that I get to create on myself.

I do not always have a concept when I create these looks, so my process is to have a glass of wine next to me, some awesome music and just go with the flow.

I get my inspiration from architecture, nature and then just scrolling through social media. One thing that I never do is to copy another artist look. I can draw inspiration from what the artist has done but I will DEFINITELY make it my own. I also like to use gold and anything that is shiny in my looks. Luckily for me Graftobian Makeup South Africa has the most amazing pro paint colors and gold metal powder that I use often. I also have amazing South African company called Dream Sequence Glitter that has gifted me some insane glitters.

If you have an idea you want me to try out or if you want to sit in my chair for a fun creative look. Feel free to leave a comment below.

Sending you all Love and Light and a lot of creativity.

Rene

Phone Photography

Over the past year or so I have been utilizing my phone camera to the best of my ability. I started to fall in love with photography and with the help of some close photographer friends I was able to fine tune my images even more. I still ask my photographer friends advice on lighting and ISO and depth of field and everything that goes hand in hand with taking amazing images.

I enjoy capturing images, not only because I have really cool memories to look back or print for my house but I believe that the world is wanting to see the “real” side of life. I can capture that with my phone and post about it immediately. I have definitely started to see that my social media likes to see the behind the scenes or the real images more than the final processed image. I started to take images with an iPhone but I recently moved over to Samsung

I do not want to become a photographer and will still do my test shoots with photographers but I can also create cool content for myself and my viewers. Who knows, if someone likes what I do and I do get hired to do a job using my phone camera and I feel confident I can give the client what they ask for…. why not?

For now it is a hobby and something that gives me creative freedom.

Until next time …. happy clicking.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam, I love you!

Most of you that follow me on Instagram knows that I went to Amsterdam for a week. It was so much fun. I was able to catch up with my dear friend Em, you probably know her designs from Aimmea clothing.

I was able to have a few days off where I got to relax, well, relax as in walk a lot as in a lot, cycle through Amsterdam Centre and enjoy sight seeing. I immediately felt at home during my time there.

Not only did I explore the beautiful city but I also did some work there. Em decided to do a photo shoot with some awesome new designs and I was in charge of hair, makeup and styling. Being hired to do a shoot abroad is beyond amazing.

We did 2 shoots in fact and I cannot wait to show you the end results. It is something different and so unique.

Amsterdam, I will see you again.